Kickout device for coils



R. D. HUFFINGTON 2,880,889

KIcxoUT DEVICE: FOR corLs April 7, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2, 1957 /NVE/VTR RUSSELL D. HUFF/NGTON Affornev April 7, 1959 Filed Aug. 2, 1957 R. D. HUFFINGTON KlCKOUl1 DEVICE FOR COILS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 RUSSELL D. HUFF/NGTON By". l@

IUnile. States Parenti O y l KICKOUT DEVICE FOR COIVLS Russell D. Harrington, Gary, Ind., assignor 'to 'United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 2, 1957, Serial No. 675,924

3 Claims. (Cl. 214-'1) The invention relates to a kickout device for a coil downtilter.

Coils of metal strip usually are stored with their central axes vertical, but are processed with their central axes horizontal. When a coil is conveyed from a storage area to an uncoiling mandrel for processing, a downtilter reorients the coil in this respect. A conventional downtilter includes an L-shaped frame journaled on a horizontal axis and is located between two conveyors which travel either at right angles to each other or in the same direction. One arm of the L receives a coil from the rst conveyor, the L turns 90 about its axis, and the other arm delivers the coil to the second conveyor. A typical downtilter of this sort is shown in Stewart Patent No. 2,426,569.

One ditlculty encountered in operating a conventional downtilter is that coils may catch on the delivery arm of the L and not move readily to the second conveyor. An object of the present invention is to provide a kickout device which positively ejects a coil from a downtilter so that the coil is delivered immediately to the second conveyor.

A further object is to provide, in combination with a downtilter, a gravity operated kickout device which automatically assumes a cocked position as the downtilter moves to its coil-receiving position and subsequently automatically ejects the coil.

A more specific object is to provide, in combination with a downtilter, a gravity operated kickout device which includes a walking beam and parallel links connecting said beam to the delivery arm of the L, enabling the beam to swing automatically to a cocked position while the downtilter receives a coil and subsequently to eject the coil.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a downtilter equipped with my kickout device positioned to receive a coil;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line II-II of Fgure 1; and

Figure 3 is a vertical section similar to Figure 1, but showing the downtilter positioned to deliver the coil.

Figures 1 and 3 show a conventional downtilter 10 which receives coils C of strip metal from a rst con veyor 12 and delivers them to a second conveyor 13, being motivated by any suitable drive not shown. The coilreceiving arm of the downtilter has a series of idler rollers 14 whose upper faces dene a at plane to support a coil with its central axis approximately vertical. When the downtilter is positioned to receive a coil from conveyor 12 (Figure 1), this plane slopes slightly away from the carrying surface of the conveyor and in eiect forms a continuation thereof. The coil-delivering arm has two series of idler rollers 15 which form a shallow V when received in end elevation to support a coil with its central axis approximately horizontal. When the downtilter is "icc positioned to deliver a coil to the second conveyor 13 (Figure 3), this V slopes toward the carrying surface of the conveyor and in effect forms a continuation thereof, Conventionally-the coil moves by gravity from the idler rollers 15 to the conveyor 13, but sometimes the coil hangs and does not start as intended.A This diiculty may result, for example, when the tie in the bandv or strapping around the coil catches on one of the rollers 15.

The kickout device of my invention includes a -pair of'cross beams 16 and 17 which extend across the under-A side of the coil-delivering arm. The midportions of these beams .are offset downwardly or outwardly as shown Figure 2, and carry pivot ears 18 and 19. Parallel links 20 and 21 are pivotaily supported on the respective ears 18 and 19 and extend into the space between the two series of idler rollers 15. At their outer ends the links are pivoted to a Walking beam 22 which also lies in the space between the two series of rollers. A stop 23 is fixed to the downtilter adjacent its axis of turning and is adapted to be abutted by the inner end face of the walking beam. A second stop 24 is fixed to the downtilter between the beams 16 and 17 and is adapted to be abutted by the mid portion of the walking beam.

When the downtilter is in its coil-receiving position, the walking beam 22 drops by gravity into a cocked position in abutting relation with the stop 23. The edge of the beam projects outwardly of the idler rollers 15 but the links 20 and 21 do not pass a dead center position. A coil C received on rollers 15 from the rst conveyor 12 comes to rest with its upright surface in contact with this projecting edge and does not immediately contact the idler rollers 15. As the downtilter pivots to its coil-delivering position, the coil and walking beam drop by gravity into engagement with the second stop 24. In this position the entire beam lies below the rollers 15 and the coil contacts these rollers. This motion of the walking beam occurs just as the downtilter moves into position to de liver the coil and furnishes the impetus needed to eject the coil positively to the second conveyor 13.

From the foregoing description it is seen that my nvention atlords a simple kickout device for assuring that coils do not hang or catch on the coil-delivering arm of a downtilter. The device is readily added to existing installations without otherwise altering the structure.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modications may arise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a downtilter which includes an L-shaped frame journaled on a horizontal axis for movement between coil-receiving and coil-delivering positions, one arm of said frame being adapted to receive a coil with its central axis approximately vertical, and two spaced apart series of rollers on the other arm to deliver a coil with its central axis approximately horizontal, the combination therewith of a kickout device comprising means automatically cocked when said frame moves to its coil-receiving position to be contacted by a coil received on said frame and preventing its contacting said rollers, and a movable mounting for said means for automatically dropping the coil into contact with said rollers as said frame moves to its coil-delivering position and thereby furnishing an impetus for ejecting the coil.

2. In a downtilter which includes an L-shaped frame journaled on a horizontal axis for movement between coil-receiving and coil-delivering positions, one arm of said frame being adapted to receive a coil with its central axis approximately vertical, and two spaced apart series of rollers journaled on the other arm to deliver a coil with its central axis approximately horizontal, the coming beam located between said series of rollers, a linkage pivotally mounting said walking beam on said frame, and stop means to limit movement of said walking beam when said frame moves to its coil-receiving position, said walking beam projecting beyond said series of rollers when said frame is in its coil-receiving position to contact the upright surface of the coil and dropping below these rollers as said frame moves to its coil-delivering position to eject the coil.

3. In a downtilter which includes an L-shaped frame journaled on a horizontal axis for movement between coil receiving and coil-delivering positions, one arm of said frame being adapted to receive a coil with its central axis approximately vertical, and two spaced apart series of 10 rollers journaled on the other arm to deliver a coil with its central axis approximately horizontal, the combination therewith of a kckout device comprising a walking beam located between said series of rollers, parallel links pivotally mounting said walking beam on said frame, and a stop on said frame adapted'to be abutted by the end of said beam when said frame moves to its coil-receiving position, said Walking beam projecting beyond said series of rollers when said frame is in its coil-receiving position to contact the upright surface of the coil and dropping below these rollers as said frame moves to its coildelivering position to eject the coil.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,799,938 Wadsworth Apr. 7, 1931 1,868,560 Beach et al July 26, 1932 2,101,738 Gotthardt Dec. 7, 1937 

